Chapter 94
Ryder grinned down at him. “Look at you, little prince. You going to let me tell you all the sweet shit we talked about with each other? Or the kinky shit she wants to try when I see her tomorrow?”
“Go away.” David turned his back to Ryder as he contemplated swimming more laps or going for a run.
“You’re such a pussy.” Ryder threw something at the back of David’s head.
He turned, glaring at his rival. “Fuck you.”
“I thought we were fucking Jane,” Ryder quipped. “Together.” He tilted his head. “I can swap you for Tercero. I bet she’d love the excitement of thinking she’s got me twice.”
David growled, nearly splashing Ryder like a child, but he turned again to start more laps. Jane was done with him. “Leave me alone.”
“I told her I’d talk to you,” Ryder said, halting David. “I even yelled at her cute ass for running from you like this. Had to use my sweet side and a fuck ton of my sexy-dominant side to remind her that you knew you’d fucked up, that you weren’t Mr. Perfect like she has always made you out to be, and most of all, that she’s perfect. Nothing your dumbass did was her fault and comparing herself to the pussy you tried to replace her with is pointless. Because what matters is that you love her, and you committed yourself to her Friday night. No going back.”
David slowly turned, his brow furrowing as he took in Ryder. His rival wasn’t even looking at him; his head was tilted back as he lazily lounged in the chair, his eyes fixed on the pale moon as it got farther away.
“You’ve got to be the David who deserves her,” he said, not tearing his gaze away. “She’s not going to get over the betrayal she feels from you fucking Diane. She’s going to go back and forth because that’s what Jane does. One moment she feels like a fucking goddess ruling her whole kingdom, the next moment, though, she’s whimpering like a baby, blaming herself for everything that has gone wrong, crying because she hasn’t succeeded in the areas she craves to, and destroying all her worth because David fucking Leodegrance made her think she was just a girl from his past, one not worth waiting around for or being honest with. The prettiest goddess all alone in the dark because the sun stopped burning for her.”
The ache that spread through David’s chest intensified, and he reached for the edge of the pool as he attempted to steady his breathing. He kept seeing Jane’s pretty face, those hazel eyes, and her smile, but he couldn’t erase the tears, the way her lips trembled as she tried so hard not to cry, only to sob louder when the first tear slipped free. Then she’d flee. Always afraid to see what his reaction would be.
“She’s never going to not love you,” Ryder said, still watching the moon. “I don’t even know what you really did to make her put you on such a higher level than the rest of us, but I know this.” Now Ryder looked at him, his face cold. “I know you’re going to find that fucking pedestal you knocked over, and you’re going to make yourself worthy to get on it and stand above me, above Tercero, and sure as fuck above Luc’s ass.”
The air was sucked from David’s lungs, and he couldn’t respond.
Ryder did, though. He leaned forward, a fluid movement that made the hairs on David’s neck stand. “You’re going to find her, David,” he said calmly. “You’re going to worship our girl. She’s going to be your fucking princess. Every damn time she thinks of you with Diane, you’re going to kiss her until she remembers Diane is fucking dishwater next to the sweet Dr Pepper she is.” David let out a harsh laugh, his breathing evening out.
“Fight for her, bitch,” Ryder said, his words harsh but no real bite. “I told her once, she doesn’t settle for me just because you burned her pretty ass. And now I’m telling you, I’m not going to let you burn her. Out of all of us, it’s you who can destroy her, and I know you don’t want that. I know you want to shine for her too, but you’re this fucking close to burning yourself out. If you go out, so does she. No matter what I do, no matter what I’m capable of, I wouldn’t be able to re-light her flame. That’s what her dad called her, you know? His darling flame. I know you see it when she’s in the sun and smiling because I do.”
David sighed as Jane’s smile formed in his mind again. Hi, baby.
“You’ve done good with tolerating me and her love for me, but you’re doing this shit—angrily swimming laps when you should be writing her a letter or sneaking over to see her.”
David jerked his head up. “What?”
Ryder gestured to the house. “Either write some romantic shit down and have it ready for me to give her tomorrow or take my car. Keys are on your pillow along with the key your gran slipped me.” He smirked. “Think I switched her to Team Ryder.”
“Are you fucking with me?” David hoisted himself out of the water, his skin instantly chilled as the wind blew.
Ryder got up and started heading toward the house, though he answered David anyway. “I’d go for the letter because you’re not going to say the shit you need to say to her if you see her. And when you have to leave her, all the pain will come back . . . . Put it in my backpack with my keys and send her a sweet text good night.” He peered over his shoulder once he reached the door. “Don’t forget to tell her you love her, Papi. Remind her King Daddy—me—loves her more.” “Dick.” David smiled, grabbing the towel he’d brought outside.
“Jane loves all my dick, even my dick personality.” He chuckled, opening the door. “Don’t drip on the fucking floor. Archer keeps busting his fucking head every time someone leaves the floor wet.” “Never knew you cared about your brothers,” David said as he roughly dried his body.
“Nah, I just don’t want him knocking the common sense out of his damn head and having him thinking he can be number five with Jane. I’d hate to kill him; she thinks he’s funny.”
David chuckled, heading toward Ryder. “Thanks, Ryder.”
“It’s never for you.” Ryder pointed upward then tilted his head back to smile at the object deserving his attention. “Good night, my moon.” Then he was inside, jogging toward the stairs.
David glanced up at the moon. He really liked that Ryder called her the moon; it fit her so well. She glowed as brightly as she could with the dark all around her, even with all the pretty stars sparkling across the endless night. She just kept trying to glow, changing, always there—lonely—as she watched the world pass her by. She wanted to glow and dance for her earth, teasing him with her sly smiles. But fuck if the sun wasn’t the lucky bastard who acted superior to all, shining even though he burned her. She took it and glowed even more lovely than he could imagine. She glowed for all of them. David promised he’d let her keep her earth, embrace how she changed because that was her. Her earth shielded her from the sun and stayed with her always.
So, he whispered the words he would write down to send with Ryder, “Your father really did pick the most perfect guy for you when he picked Ryder. Whatever I did to deserve your love, to be able to even be considered beside him, I’m beyond grateful. I’ll never forget my mistakes; they’ll be with me forever, but longer than forever is how long I will work to make my heart as worthy as his.
“You’re my dream girl, Jane. My baby, my kitten, my Jane. I am going to show you what that really means to me. And when I struggle to make you see just how beautiful you are and how I am so in love with you, I’m going to ask that surprisingly romantic bastard to guide me, to hold you when I make you cry, and I’m going to ask him to love you with me. Because I know he’s the one, baby. But I’m selfish, and I refuse to let go.
“I’m going to earn my place in the light he helps you shine with.” He smiled as a dark cloud rolled away to reveal the pretty half-moon. “Bastard has me thinking like a poet, but I’m glad he’s here. I’m not sure I would’ve looked up without him to block my view of you. I was too busy listening to everyone else, only focusing on the path everyone expects me to follow. The only path I want to take is the one with you by my side.” A cloud moved over the moon, but he felt at peace in her dimmed light. “Sweet dreams, my love.”